Where We Lie
by nymphess
Summary: High School AU. A lot changes in five years, especially one's relationship to a certain pink-haired spy after said one disappears on a solo mission without a word. Itachi tries to pick up where they left off, Sakura wants nothing to do with the recent development of their relationship, and the rest are confused about why the new guy looks so much like someone they know.
1. Too Early for This

**Too Early for This**

* * *

There was an eeriness to the quiet mornings in Konoha. The usual busy streets appeared disserted in the mix of nightclubs and bars closing for the day where people were arriving home from a night out and waking up to begin their day. In two hours' time the streets would be packed with traffic with people heading to work, city transportation, and kids being dropped off for their first day back at school.

But there was something especially different about the early mornings of September that put Sakura at ease; when the heat wave of August had just passed and they were beginning their dissent on fall and a new year—now their last year—of high school. Perhaps because there was a certain calm to this eeriness during these sorts of morning. Everyone was back in town from their summer vacation, but things haven't quite picked up yet for the new start of the school year. It was a quiet time in between summer and fall where one could relax for a while—a calm before the storm. All the troubles of the previous school year completely forgotten—or set aside, at least—and they were beginning again with a (possible) clean slate.

Jade eyes leisurely roamed the empty streets that quiet morning, taking in the cool morning fog which would no doubt be replaced by the scorching sun in less than four hours' time. Occasionally, Sakura would find herself behind a city bus or the car of a working man whose day started as early as hers, but besides the rare run-ins, she was free to drive through the streets in solitude.

Konoha seemed extraordinary peaceful at times like these, more so than it appeared to be when it was busied with people running around, coexisting with one another during the day. Any one new to the city could easily be fooled into believing the façade of peace which surrounds Konoha, with the low crime-rates, murders, and harassments. Although Konoha participated in its fair share of crimes and misdeeds—if one could call them as lightly as that—in the past, so very distant and long ago, such a thing remained present under a cloak of concealment few were tasked to maintain.

Ignorance was bliss. Ignorance was also maintaining public safety.

Turning off the freeway, Sakura made the necessary turns down the damp residential streets leading to her best friend's apartment complex. His athletic physique was easily spotted through the dimly lit lobby as he waited patiently—or not, considering the two times her cellphone went off—for her arrival.

"Do you have everything you need?" Sakura asked through the passenger window, watching Sasuke waddle down the front steps of his apartment with a gym bag containing lord knows what to attract the little juniors for their junior-senior basketball team. Not that the team needed any more help than the three championship trophies that they've brought home in the last three consecutive years, but Kakashi would be none too pleased if they didn't at least look like they were putting in some effort into building his prized sports teams.

"More than enough." Sasuke grunted, throwing his bag in beside hers in the backseat before climbing into the front. "You got a paint job."

Sakura's eyes flickered calculatedly to scan over her dark haired companion, taking in any subtle changes that were made over their two month separation before Sakura shifted her gears back into drive. The bastard was still apparently growing in height, so it seemed, leaving her to dread encountering any of her other male friends—especially Naruto—who probably sprouted an extra couple inches over the summer while she only managed a whopping point-five of an inch.

But with her inconsistent sleeping schedule, she figured it was what she deserved.

"I went a little overboard after covering up the scratches from Naruto." There was a little humour in her voice which soothed the misplaced anxiety within Sasuke. Something about heading back to school left that sort of feeling to mix in with the little excitement he felt about returning. School gave him a purpose, he figured. It was natural and familiar, and something about returning to a place filled with people he knew growing up was comforting, but always a little overwhelming.

"It looks better black," He stated, glancing into lazy green eyes he knew barely closed the night before. Sasuke looked her over in silent annoyance, something he knew Sakura had a sixth sense for, but ignored seventy percent of the time. Her hair sat neatly on her head in a high pony tail, held together with a clear elastic band he knew she hated using and pretty green and white ribbons that matched the cheerleading uniform she was wearing under her black sport's jacket. His eyes caught onto a faded brown scar, in particular, that seated itself comfortably on the outside of her right leg and ran a good five inches down to her knee. "What the hell is this?"

He gently touched the mark in a form of gesturing to what "this" he was referring to, knowing well that catching her off guard by sudden intimacy would either kill them both in a car crash and land him an elbow to the chin out of pure reflexes. Believe him or not, Sasuke had the scars to show what surprising Sakura did to a person although Naruto had better ones with better stories to tell.

"It's from rock climbing," She answered easily, taking a turn at a street that was all too familiar to the both of them before turning into the driveway of a certain loud-mouth blond of theirs. "I got it two weeks ago while I was down at my relatives."

Before he could scowl at her for whatever carelessness that came with rock-climbing which caused her to obtain such a large scar, the third member of their three man party came bouncing out of his house. Sakura silently apologized to his sleeping parents as the sound of his door slam echoed through her car, while Sasuke stuck with the scowl on his face at the two careless idiots he called his best friends.

"Dammit, Teme! I wanted to sit in the front!" Said loud-mouth blond exclaimed the minute he got the back door open, climbing in the center seat without caring for the two gym bags which prevented him from fitting into such a position. "You always take my spot!"

"Hey, you lost that privilege when you rear ended me in the spring." Sakura chide hotly, glaring at the blond in between checking the back for cars and reversing onto the empty street. "Besides, why does it matter? No one's at school right now to see us pull up, so you can't act cool by pretending you have some ownership to my car just because you're in the front seat."

Unsurprisingly, that didn't keep Naruto from mumbling profanity at Sasuke who made a point of snorting and smirking over his shoulder at the sulking blond. As old as they were, Sakura knew they would always be the two idiots who shoved sand in each other's mouths during elementary school.

Recovering from the oh so terrible loss, Naruto bounced forward. Resting his elbows on the shoulder of each seat, he watched the city street slowly fade away from its greyish, muted lighting and brighten up with the slowly rising sun.

"Ne, are you guys excited about going back?"

He knew he was. It was going to be a lot different now that they were seniors. It was their turn to be the cool kids and take over the school, but it's not like Naruto was never cool, mind you.

Out the three of them, it was always Naruto to be the most excited about returning to school. It was also always him to the be the first to complain about the workload and the tediousness of their weekly routine two weeks later when assignments were being handed out and homework was expected to be turned in. But it wouldn't be the first day of school without his enthusiasm, Sakura and Sasuke knew, so they both grunted in acknowledgement.

"What's with that attitude, eh?" Unfortunately, their lack of the enthusiasm wasn't going to be tolerated this coming year. Despite the last eight years where his enthusiasm fluctuated between extreme excitement for the coming year and disaffection—really depending on what he told himself the night before—the couple's best friend seemed to have great expectations for the three of them the coming year. Not to say he didn't have great expectations before—many that have been achieved, he'll have you know—but this year was going to be way different. "We're in charge of the school this year! We can do anything we want and Kakashi-sama can't punish us for half of them!"

"Actually, he still can, Dobe. We're still students."

Naruto didn't need to see Sasuke's stupid face to know the bastard rolled his eyes and Sasuke didn't need to look back to know Naruto was glaring into his earhole. Bystander Sakura, on the other hand, knew better than to get involved with her boy's bickering this early in the morning when Sasuke's anxiety was high and Naruto's adrenaline was rushing. The two needed this to balance them out every morning before the first day of school or a big championship game.

If Sakura was honest, which she wasn't going to be out loud, this school year wasn't going to be that much different than the last eight that she's had with these two. Sure, there was a lot more freedom that came with being seniors, but also more responsibilities and stress that came with the freedom. Not to mention that in two months' time, they would begin applying for universities or colleges, which meant grades were already an issue whether Naruto wanted to acknowledge that or not. However, nothing really changes beside that.

It was still just school with the same classes, events, dances, and pep rallies.

"No, Teme. It means he'll go easy on us because he knows we're seniors. And that means we're mature young adults now."

"Sakura and I are, but you still haven't turned seventeen yet, Dobe."

Sakura snorted. "Try that speech again next month, Naruto."

If pouts could make noises, it would be whatever noise Naruto made at Sakura's teasing. The blond retreated and sat back to stare off distantly at the towering building of their high school, easily spotted three blocks away in one of the prestigious neighbourhoods in Konoha, if the white-coloured brick wall and golden gates didn't give it away.

"About time they replaced those 12th century, black gothic gates." Sasuke remarked as the pulled up to the school.

"No kidding, those things were hideous." Slowly driving through the gold gates and around the flower bed and water fountain that the three of them noted was also new, Sakura had to give it to Kakashi, or the parent council, for implementing the changes they had. The flowerbed made it easier to drop one's kid off and drive out, seeing that it was a clearly marked drop-off, roundabout which fixed all the hustle and bustle and confusion of simply having an open space for inconsiderate drivers to pile in on. "Naruto, can you carry my bag in for me?"

Distracted by the fountain, Naruto managed a "sure thing" before scanning the rest of the area for any new developments. Whether he heard her or not, Sasuke would deal with him in end.

The two story window surrounding the glass doors of their grand foyer made it easy to peer inside the school and get the gist of events occurring that day. More likely than none, senior students were spotted in their stands, hustling for bake sales, fundraising, and sporting events in a marketing strategy to attract possible buyers and bidders as many came through the foyer—with the exception of seniors coming through the cafeteria from the parking lot. In less than two hours, Sasuke and Sakura would find themselves in one of those stands, rallying up names for try-outs for their designated sports team and selling their soul for the cause instead of trying to push through the crowd of people as they had done every year before.

Perhaps Naruto was right in saying it would be different this year, with being leaders and in charge of these events instead being on the receiving end and completely ignorant to the social and daily workings of the school. The only thing different about this year was the stress of school work and the entertainment of participating in school events. At least, that was what Sakura originally thought.

The little preview not only showed the blank stands the custodians had set up for the various captains and leaders of their extracurricular activity sale, but the people who arrived ahead of them. Indeed it was different and something extraordinary to see Kakashi at school before it started, for in many cases you could spot him running to his office as the bell rings for students to head to their first class or sneaking in through the window of his office during second period—or even lunch. But the fact that he stood in their foyer sparked Sakura's curiosity and sent a rush of adrenaline through her veins.

Kakashi wasn't the sentimental type to make exceptions to his habits, not even for the first day of school. She remembered clearly sitting in the auditorium all through second period and waiting for him to arrive at school and start off the assembly for the school year. There was something amiss, and that, alone, sparked her excitement.

The car slowed in front of the doors, preparing to stop completely for a convenient unloading of the cargo in Sakura's back seat but a quick change of plans sent Naruto rolling into the door window and Sasuke's legs flailing from the open door. He had been halfway out the door when Naruto managed a confused "hey—", cut off by the vicious force that was his best friend pulling him back inside by his waistband and the car ties screeching against the pavement in urgency.

When upright, his complaint managed to boil up into his throat before he stopped himself. There was an intensity in Sakura's eyes he was only fortunate enough to encounter a handful of times, and as much as he would have liked to voice his displeasure and the new pain in his neck from be jolted back in his seat, something about the way Sakura fiercely gripped the steering wheel and the controlled look of rage in her eyes warned him against it.

As to make matters worse, Naruto barely made a noise at the sudden change of action—nor did he complain about involuntarily imprinting his face onto her window. He stayed silent about the Sakura's driving because _he_ understood the importance of the situation when Sasuke was more than oblivious.

So Sasuke waited until Sakura found a nice place to park on the side of the school before saying anything, only watching her with a careful eye as she managed to work with a certain calmness despite the fire in her eye.

"What was that?" He asked carefully, turning to look at Sakura before turning to see a very concerned and concentrated look on the usual carefree face of his male friend.

For a moment there was silence. A very tense and suffocating silence.

Yanking her keys out all Sakura could do was grip onto her steering wheel in deep thought, trying to play out the possibility of their situation and what all it, all of what she had seen, could mean. Naruto had seen it too, but his interpretation of the situation was much different than hers. Not that she could blame him, but her battle was a lot different than what they were going to have to deal with in T-minus fifteen minutes when they walked through the doors.

"Did you see him too, Naruto?"

There was a dangerous forced calmness in Sakura's voice that sent chills down Sakura's spine; an imposing aura which darkened the mood substantially and a lingering promising of a raising threat. It was a tone of supressed fury or (sometimes there was an "and" to this) distress. A tone of finality in a form of a question. The type of tone which tells you warningly that "you don't want to do this" and asked "are you sure about this?" At the same time, it was the tone of voice that asked "do you know what you've done?" with a certain strain of hurt and disbelief that made Naruto hesitant to answer.

Sakura was silently fuming in a way that made them believe she was more than ready to kill the next person who looked at her the wrong way.

Naruto gulped, nodding carefully and flashing a worried look at an every confused and alarmed Sasuke. "He—I think he…"

Sasuke's mind raced at the idea of "him" and who this "him" could be. It couldn't be Kakashi or any of their peers, could it? Talk definitely would've gotten around if someone had truly angered Sakura in such a way that drew her out of her usual impassiveness. Moreover, who else did Sakura and Naruto know that Sasuke didn't? If it was an ex-boyfriend he and Naruto would've taken care of him a long time ago, so ultimately, he was not only lost but worried.

He allowed Sakura to process whatever it was he missed in the two seconds it took for them to drive by the front of the door and speed off. Naruto wouldn't recover as quickly from being stunned, but even if he did, he wouldn't be able to form a coherent sentence for some time.

Darkened green eyes turned to look at him. Her face may have twisted into a look of concern, but her eyes still held a dangerously suppressed rage which surfaced very rarely.

"We saw your brother inside the building."

When the words left her lips, his world went deaf, but if he listened closely, he could hear the sound of Sakura's internal screaming.

* * *

"Well, that went better than I expected."

Itachi eyed his superior suspiciously as he sipped the coffee through the dark mask, not only questioning what he was expecting but also how the school board allowed him to work in an inappropriate attire. The suit was professional, he gave Kakashi that much credit, but the mask and eyepatch had to cause some sort of stir amongst the parents, at least, that donning one would have been petitioned against by now.

Nevertheless, he didn't mention it. If the principal had been able to get away with it for as long as he has, it was not Itachi's place to question or suggest against it. He could only guess that Kakashi managed to maneuver his way around these protests and petition with that odd charm of his.

What the young high school teacher was more curious about was the screeching tires of that black car which sped off, almost taking itself out in that sharp turns of the roundabout and narrow space of the gateway.

Itachi had learn, from an offhanded comment of "oh, Sakura-chan's here" that the car belonged to none other than his former partner (or were they still partners? He wasn't sure). It didn't surprise him in the least to see Sasuke and Naruto riding along with her either.

"And what were you expecting, exactly?" Itachi asked carefully, and Kakashi's lips stretched into a grin underneath his mask when he turned towards him with an eye crinkle.

"I expected her to come out of that car with a bat." There was a certain tone of amusement in Kakashi's voice that told Itachi he found Sakura's violent antics cute and nonthreatening. Perhaps because he watched her grow up from the sweet little eight year old that she was when they found her, or because he was a pervert. For the old man's personal safety, Itachi hoped it was the former. "Though she still might; you should be careful."

Kakashi was well aware the three teenagers would direct their anger towards him before they do Itachi. There was a chance that Sakura might just head straight for the kill when she finds Itachi because she had the familiarity that the other two didn't, but the silver-haired man knew the bat would find its way to his well-defined cheekbones somehow—he wouldn't put that passed sweet little Sakura-chan.

He toasted to their safety with his half-empty coffee mug, smiling anxiously when he heard the cafeteria side door open and three pairs of feet shuffled their way to the foyer from their right. They were unnaturally quiet this morning. Usually Naruto's voice could be heard echoing through the hallway, but the circumstances of slamming his face against Sakura's car door may have slowed down any voluntary movements of his jaw.

Try as he might, Itachi couldn't hide the tenseness of his form from Kakashi if he tried. Externally he held a façade of indifference. His expression was bleak and he stood tall with his hands in his pockets, looking unbothered by the sun shining in his eye.

But the slight stiffness of his shoulder told Kakashi all he needed to know.

Uchiha Itachi, their child prodigy, was nervous. He could infiltrate organized terrorist groups and criminal organizations with a steady heartbeat, but reuniting with his brother and partner appeared to be more nerve-racking than going into the lion's den. Kakashi wasn't even sure he was breathing anymore as his lone eye followed the young agent turn high school teacher headed up the stairs the second floor to speculate the on-goings within their spacious foyer.

Kakashi set his coffee down at one of the empty booths just as the cafeteria doors open, fully prepared to catch a flying shoe, or basketball, or textbook that had fair chance of being launched at his head.

To say he was surprised by what came through was an understatement.

In an aura of indifference which rivaled Itachi's, the three little shitheads Kakashi has been tasked with watching for the last three years walked right towards him without a sparing a single glance at the clearly visible man staring down at them from the second floor balcony. It was their "we see you, but you aren't important" instilment of dominance, letting Itachi know where he stood before even giving him a chance to choose for himself. It was as clear as their freshly washed windows that Sakura had concocted this plan, integrating her professional knowledge into her daily routine to benefit her personal life.

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said sweetly, setting Kakashi on alert for flying fists and anything she may have in the gym bag hanging from her shoulders. "It's so refreshing to see you here on time."

His lone studied her face and body posture, careful to note any sudden twitches or movements, especially those aimed towards his face or his groin.

"Ah, good morning Sa—"

"I think this may be the first time." Sasuke interjected, looking at Sakura who hummed nodded considerately in agreement.

"I wouldn't say—"

"You're totally right, Sasuke!" It was Naruto's turn to interrupt, looking at both of his friends and then at Kakashi with a scowl of suspicion. "So what gives, sensei? Why are you suddenly on time today?"

The small jabs they took at him were playful, but there was a distinct passive-aggressive ulterior motive in which they were blaming him for the sudden appearance of someone who had led them to believe was dead. Despite the crinkle of Kakashi's eye, the way it darkened slightly told Sakura he wasn't going to entertain their integration much longer.

"I could ask you the same thing, Naruto. Why are you _even_ here, anyway? You didn't make captain of anything." Ah, there it was. Kakashi's warning for them to back off before he got really nasty. The blond entwined his fingers behind his head, huffing in annoyance but signalling his retreat.

It was so like Naruto to give up so easily when cornered. He either did that or exploded, both proving to be ineffective in proving his point or winning his battle. It was only his luck that he was friends with intellectuals like Sakura and Sasuke. While Sasuke excelled in school and wise in his own ways, picking out the flaws and phonies in people, Sakura excelled socially with her ability turn things around with a couple of words.

"He just came to help out Sensei. Besides, didn't you miss us over the summer?"

Kakashi knew it was going to all end if and when he looked into her eyes. Usually very sharp and cat like, the moment Sakura decided to play dirty and make her eyes round and doe-like—well, eight out of ten times she had whoever was foolish enough to look into them wrapped around her little finger. Hell, Sasuke even knew and fell for it because he kept his eyes straight and pinned to at the red book he saw through the clear wall of glass into the main floor of the library the minute he saw her face beginning to contort.

Sakura used it sparingly enough to still maintain its effects after all these years.

But somehow, Kakashi always chanced it with her. Reprimanding himself that he was a grown ass man with a successful career and the iron will of an ox, and that just because she used to be a sweet little girl who sat on porches and covered her face with ice cream before looking at him with those big round eyes does not mean the intentions she held in those green pools were as innocent as they were nine years ago.

So he looked and doomed himself instantly. His throat tightened while he stared down at her and said "Of course, Sakura. You always were my favourite student" which was followed with a "what?" "pervert," and a soft cough from the man who they had all been ignoring, standing above the four of them. Nevertheless, their eyes didn't even flicker for a second towards the third voice, either out of shear will or the strict warning from Sakura before they walked it, it was impressive to say the least—especially on Sasuke's part.

"I thought I was your favourite!" Naruto accused, a slight hurt in his voice that caused both Sakura and Sasuke to roll their eyes.

Kakashi's crinkle flattered and he regarded the blond seriously as if Naruto had committed a terrible crime.

"What on earth gave you that impression?" Naruto's jaw dropped and despite his many attempts to answer the questions, incoherent words and unflattering noises were the only he could manage before stomping away in a huff of exasperation. Kakashi turned his attention back to the two who remained and stared after the blond with annoyance and amusement. "As I recall, you have two stands to decorate."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, tearing himself away from their circle to carelessly pick stand, no longer wanting to be involved in his two best friends' shenanigans. It was way too early for this. He agreed to coming in before school started to decorate the plain plastic table with a lame headboard attached to it, not get involved with harassing Kakashi and willing himself to not throw himself at his brother who had been missing for nine years—presumed dead for four of those.

Naturally, Sakura followed after Sasuke and picked the stand next to his—right under the balcony outside the second floor of the library, specifically for their backs to be turned to this _intruder_. She set the bag of pom-poms, confetti, and an unholy amount of glitter on the table while murmuring "this is so extra" to receive a pointed look from Kakashi and a soft hum of agreement from Sasuke.

She made a point of ignoring the hole that was burning into her back, gracefully dancing around her stand with glue and glitter, and wrapping garland up the poles as if two dark eyes weren't trained to study on her every breath.

Itachi stood quietly from above and watched, his eyes soaking in their every movement and trying to piece together who they were, what they were, and how they were based on that alone.

Needless to say, Sasuke's examination was much simpler than Sakura's. Despite his repressive and suppressive personality, it was easy to see he was easily annoyed, easily irritated, but not easily fazed—if that made sense. He didn't believe everything deserved his reaction, and only chose to react when beneficial to getting what he wanted, or if it was absolutely out of his control to do so. And he decided, or Sakura decided—maybe they collaborated by the way they seem to so easily move around each other—that Itachi's presence after so many years fell into the very former.

By his attitude towards Kakashi, it was easy to tell that he didn't like superior presence. He would respect it, yes, but he was not all that pleased with being talked down to or ordered around. He would listen if necessary—as was the order to start decorating their stands—but would revolt quickly if he thought a line was crossed, even by a hair. Was it because it was a common Uchiha trait or something he picked up on from his two friends, Itachi wasn't 100% sure. Sasuke was always so obedient as a kid, but one look in his eyes and you say quick flashes of frustration when he didn't wholly agree with what he was being ordered to do.

Sakura, on the other hand, was a mix of suppression and expression, leaving Itachi puzzled about which emotion fell into which category and what part of her was real. The Sakura he knew five years ago stuck to expression alone. Whatever she felt she showed. Whatever she tried to hide, he saw through. But in his five years absence, she mastered the art of schooling her emotions accordingly when needed. In other words, she could manipulate how others felt with how she felt.

Was it because of him or the influence of Sasuke, he couldn't really say.

 _It could also be puberty,_ he tried, almost groaning at the thought.

Missing five years of someone's life when they're twenty, and not much may have changed unless they've experience something traumatic. Missing five years of someone's life during _that_ stage in their life and you may as well have not known them at all. It was an evolutionary stage in life—puberty and high school—and coming to meet her when she was nearly finished with them both, he might as well introduce himself to her again.

It was _very_ easy to identify where she had changed physically with the cheer leading uniform that showed too much leg and too much torso, but where she changed mentally and emotionally was going to be much harder now that she's finally learned that her life depending on schooling her emotions.

The squeak of the front door turned Itachi's attention away from his enigma, but he didn't miss the way her face lit up when she caught sight of who walked through.

"Neji?" She gasped, jumping off the table she had been kneeling on in order to reach the banner above her stand.

"You're here pretty early," Said Neji inquired, gently stepping into the hug she offered him before acknowledging the other party in the room. "Uchiha."

There was an awkwardness that lingered the minute he said it. A question of "which one" danced around in their thoughts before it was easily dispelled with one look from Sakura. Sasuke held her gaze for a split second and grunted in reply, eventually answering back with a "Hyuuga" of his own before returning back to taping on his own cut out letters.

Itachi's eyes narrowed suspiciously, studying this new character that seemed to complicate things more for their three man dynamic. It was even more off-putting that Kakashi hadn't intervene to welcome this visitor, like he didn't want to get involved in the delicacy and, dare he say _intimacy,_ that was at hand.

"I thought you moved out of town for school. Why are you here now?" Sakura bounced back to her cheerleading stand, ready to climb back onto the table to only be stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder which offered to finish the task of taping her letters for her. Itachi didn't miss the way the brunet casted a long look at Sasuke, as if accusing him of leaving Sakura to fend for herself like an asshole that he sorta-kinda was.

"I don't start until Wednesday." He answered quickly, spacing and straightening out the "L" on her order and looking down at her for approval.

There was an intensity in his gaze which Itachi decided to be unfitting. Had things been any different he may have intervened, but with the way things were going, intervening would not be in his best interest if he wanted to progress from his outsider position. For an instant this "Neji" person's slate eyes glanced at him, resting on his face far longer than one would consider to be a glance before Sakura called back for his attention. If Neji noticed anything, he didn't say it. If he knew anything, he also knew it wasn't his business or place to say.

"I'm also here to welcome the new school year and pass my presidency on to Shikamaru." He finally finished, taping the last of her letters and stepping back to examine his own work.

"And this whole time I thought you came back to see me," Sakura sighed dramatically and loudly, but something told Itachi it was more of what she said than how she said it that caused Sasuke to pause for a second and glance over his shoulder at her curiously.

Now, Kakashi wouldn't say he was an instigator nor would he ever admit that he was a shit-starter. Seeking drama and attention was more of Gai's thing than it was his, and he definitely didn't rival the doings of Ino. Kakashi, however, just knew how and when to manipulate situations for the better good. Causing new problems which had the results to solve old ones. It was simply a matter of picking and choosing which one was more beneficial and was higher on his list of priorities.

"Sakura," Kakashi said warning, turning both the heads of his cheerleading captain and former school president. He didn't miss the way Sasuke paused for a fraction of a second, no doubt listening in to what he would say next even if the young brat acted oblivious. "I let you and Neji off the first time. I remind you that it won't happen again."

With one simple statement, he was able to sit back and watch it all unfold. It began with a near silent choke on Itachi's part, followed by a very loud one by his younger half who needed to grip onto the table to keep himself from toppling over from the intensity of the choke and the weight of the news. Sasuke eyed the stunned Hyuuga with a rare and raw display of disbelief and disgust, causing Sakura, to grip onto the sleeve of Neji's shirt firmly for reassurance which only seemed to anger the younger Uchiha some more. For a second, they all thought he would pounce, but oh so calmly he reached for the phone in his pocket.

At the same time, Sakura reached for hers. A flaw on her part for simply assuming he was only going to confront her through text message to keep the conversation private, and a mistake she deeply dreaded once she heard the pitter-patter of feet charging quickly in their direction following an enraged "what?"

From wherever Naruto was in the school, doing whatever it was he was doing—probably sulking or booby-trapping someone's door—he barreled down the hallway behind Sasuke, only stopping once he made it into the clearing and saw the criminals in question.

"You guys are hooking up?"

Sakura casted a long, dark, and threatening look which promised unholy pain at Kakashi before for turning to Naruto with a stern and infuriated look. She noticed slight narrowing and darkened look Itachi sent their way, and if things weren't escalating as they were, she would've snorted at his entitlement. One does not disappear for five years and return thinking they can impose their ideals onto her.

"No, we're not." Her tone of voice should've been enough for them to back off the topic. There was an air of finality to it that declared that the discussion was over, but it would seem that Sasuke wasn't part of this "them."

"Then you've hooked up before." Sakura's eyes rolled on the demand when she heard the sound of Sasuke unzipping his jacket. She turned to see him throw it aside carelessly, taking a purposeful step towards the Hyuuga who stood his grounds with an annoyed expression across his face. "And Kakashi knows about it."

Sakura exchanged a wary look with the unimpressed Hyuuga, and that was more than enough.

"You white eyed motherfucker! How dare you fucking touch Sakura-chan!" Naruto growled, throwing off his bag in a heap of rage, and impulse as his shirt was the next to go. "I'm going to kick your ass so hard, you'll be tasting my foot for the next month!"

Neji looked back from Naruto and Sasuke silently, as if debating with himself whether or not to accept this fight, to Sakura's disbelief. It wasn't that she didn't think he couldn't take the two of them on, they've sparred enough time to know he could at least defend himself when the time called for it, but the fact that he was actually considering the idea of fighting her two best friends on school grounds.

"Ok, enough." Sakura narrowed her eyes at their principal, finding no relief in his decision to dispel the shit that he oh-so-purposely stirred. Kakashi wedged his way between her and Neji, taking purposeful strides towards his office and beckoning both Sasuke and Naruto to follow with a simple "come." At the doorway, he paused, turning back to the remaining pair in the foyer and Sakura saw the glint in his sole eye. "You come in as well, Neji. It looks like I need to remind you of our school policies."

Before she could open her mouth to protest the absurdity in Kakashi's accusation, Neji signed and followed as he was told. Sakura stood rooted in her spot as the office door clicked close behind Kakashi and muffled shouts and growled ensued. There was suffocating stillness to the room that Itachi had admit made his stomach flip, once. In the silenced that echoed through the heavy room, it finally dawned on her what his intentions was all along.

Without hesitation she turned to look up at the man she made a point of ignoring for the half-hour, looking at him up and down to note the changes in him over the years and deciding that she was completely uninterested nor cared for them at the moment.

This was _his_ fault.

If he had not been here—if he had not left them five years ago—Kakashi would not have planned to do what he just did. He was a slippery one, that principal and superior of hers. Every time she seemed forget, he always made sure to find a way to remind her.

Itachi parted his lips to say something. Perhaps it was to apologize, to greet her, or even to question her because she knew it was more likely than not that he felt arrogant about who he was that he invited himself into situations that didn't concern him. Sakura decided that today was not the day to tolerate such a thing, if she decides to ever tolerate it at all, and had more pressing matters to attend currently than to entertain an Uchiha who felt like he could walk in and out of her life whenever he felt like it without uttering a word.

One Uchiha was enough of a handful as it was, she concluded. She didn't need to get involved with another one.

"I don't want to hear it." She barked, her anger rolling off her in waves as she slammed the door open and stormed after the four trouble makers.

Itachi was left alone in the foyer. The heavy silence that hung in room now was only disturbed by more students entering through the school—students whom he decided were not important and ignored.

A lot would change in five years. He knew this went he accepted his mission. Mental preparations were made in the case that Sakura rejected him completely when he came back to her, a case proven to be true long before he even set foot through the doors. When everyone's first question was "have you seen Sakura yet?" he knew things weren't going to be as pleasant as they were before. It wasn't asked in the sake of Sakura's anticipation, but of wariness and surprise that he managed to be in one piece to speak to them after confronting her.

He knew Sakura had a temper, but what was more to be feared was the depth of her grudges.

He felt pangs of regret every now and then, especially during the holidays of when her birthday rolled around. Reflecting on what he had witnessed now, he only really began to question if the decision he made to leave all those years as he did was a smart one.

* * *

 **I was never the type to stick to doing one thing at a time. If you're currently reading my other story, you know what I'm talking about. But I promise to my "Scheming with the Devil" readers that this is actually beneficial to my horrid upload history. By being able to switch back and forth between the two stories, I won't leave you all hanging when I lose temporary interest because I have another story to work on.**

 **All comments and criticisms are widely accepted and appreciated.**


	2. Yes, Co-President

**Yes, Co-President**

* * *

By the time nine-fifteen rolled around, the hustle and bustle of the first day of school was in full effect. Returning junior students easily navigated their way through the hallways, rushing to the stands of the club or team that had dreamt about joining for the two years they were stuck on the mediocre seasonal teams organized by teachers turn coaches as freshmen and sophomore students. Now they were allowed to join full-year teams, led by captains who were voted to be most skilled in what they did and worth of the title. What made it even better was that they were students and seniors; part of the student body and even friends.

After being dismissed from their very eventful meeting in the office earlier that morning, the trio came out with a much more somber look while Neji was led away. Very few words were exchanged between the three until more students began to arrive later on, not that it looked like it was bothering Sakura as much as it was for the remaining two.

Itachi stood quietly above to observe the dynamic of Konoha High School students, specifically to see where Sakura and Sasuke fell in this secondary-school hierarchy.

Smaller students who could easily be identified as freshmen and sophomores tended to scurry through the crowded foyer with their heads down—save for the few who knew the captains or any senior students from elementary school who would say the shy hi and wave. Juniors greeted the captains politely with an air of tentative familiarity, regardless of if they planned on joining or not. Itachi understood that athleticism was held in high regards at this school; Kakashi was known to hold physical abilities and teamwork above all others, but it would seem that in order to reach an important position in the high school hierarchy, becoming a captain was the way about it. There was this air of superiority which surrounded the senior captains, and it was not just in the way the stood or the arrogance in their posture.

He was sure there was more to Sakura's and Sasuke's near royalty status, considering their friend Naruto's similar respect from lowerclassmen despite lacking any leadership role. Things really started coming together when senior students started pooling in last minute, uncaring of the late penalty or unneeding of the extra time to locate their homeroom classes. They packed the foyer with their larger bodies and stronger voice, jumping and hugging one another without a care for the others around them who had to either move out of the way or was shoved. Captains could be noted to even leave their stands with interested students to join this circle for the hormones which circled Sakura and Sasuke, closing each other in and shielding outsiders out. It asserted an air of exclusiveness and mystery, and, dare Itachi say, coolness about them.

It took a couple of familiar faces for Itachi to realize that the students surrounding his two persons of interest were kids they attended elementary school with. Clearly there was a unity in their friendship which took a decade to build. One does not hear of one member without learning about the other eight. One cannot be friends without the acceptance of the other eight. To this day, it would appear that no one else has been able to penetrate their way through the eight layers—even Neji, it would seem. Perhaps he managed to win his way in with the other six members of their friend group and into Sakura's panties, to Itachi's chagrin, but Naruto and Sasuke's rejection of his person made sure he wouldn't be invited to any of their parties—unless he brought a small token of alcohol, Itachi was sure.

When the bell rang, they were the last to disburse and head their separate ways. The captains could be spotted to collectively head towards the auditorium together, shoving and laughing amongst themselves without the consideration of the students who turned to watch in awe and part for them. Their presence demanded attention, whether they intended for that or not, and if their popularity was based on reputation or seniority, Itachi would have to wait to find out.

Team captains and club leaders started pooling into the auditorium, filling up the front row across all four seating sections. It was no surprise to see Sakura and Sasuke huddle up in the middle, maximizing their distance from either walls where the teacher's stood to look out for talkers who dared to interrupt such an interesting assembly that had been repeated for the last four years they were there.

"Oi, where's Naruto?" The pineapple headed kid asked, or so Itachi was going to label that head of hair until he could put a name to that face with poor fashion taste.

Sakura exchanged sympathetic looks with Sasuke.

"He didn't earn captain of anything." Sasuke said bluntly, though a small twinge of pleasure couldn't be hidden in his deep, emotion voice.

"No way! Who's captain of the baseball team then?"

A small head of brown perked up to Sakura's right, leaning into the conversation the duo was having with the nameless pineapple across the aisle.

"That would be me." It said, grinning at the three oh-so-smugly.

Despite whatever victory Sasuke felt for establishing a role in leadership while his best friend didn't, he frowned at the captain of the baseball team with disappointment and perhaps a little bit of anger.

"Kiba? I thought you would be captain of the track team!" Sakura exclaimed quietly, staring at him almost accusingly for cheating his way in and stealing a spot she obviously thought, for biased reasons, belonged to her blond best friend.

"And I thought Ino was going to be captain of the swim club, but you have to take it up with the seniors last year. They're the ones who voted for us!" Kiba huffed, jerking his thumb to the blonde who sat with an annoyed expression on her face, dressed in all black as if attending her own funeral.

"Then why…" Sakura began, staring at Ino before realizing. "Theatre."

"Man, that's why he's been bugging me all summer about making him co-president!" Pineapple headed sighed, shaking his head in annoyance. "I was wondering why he would want to be a head of both, work, and study."

Sasuke snorted. "Like he studies."

"Who knows, maybe he'll study this year so he'll get valedictorian." Sakura chimed happily, elbowing Sasuke with the hopes of his equal enthusiasm for the blond's work ethic.

"Or pressure will get to him and he'll drop ou—ow!"

From where Itachi stood, he saw the slight rise in Sasuke's shoulder and the death glare Sakura sent him which meant she had enforced her usual go-to method of pain to get people to agree to what she wanted. He was glad to see some things hadn't changed, but he wasn't sure what hadn't changed was something he should be happy about.

The screech of the speakers demanded everyone's attention as Kakashi took his spot on stage, staring uninterestedly at the row of adolescence who were recovering from the annoying sound.

"Hands to yourself, Sakura, this is the second time I had to remind you today."

If Kakashi was looking for a reaction, he was barking up the wrong tree.

Sakura stared back at him blankly, unaffected by the attempt of a public humiliation. Then, ever so slowly, she raised her hand and set it softly on Sasuke's hair. Running her fingers through it tauntingly, she maintained eye contact with Kakashi. What was even more surpassing, to Itachi at least, was that Sasuke allowed her to objectify him in her dominance for power. From the looks of it, he was damn near purring from the enjoyment of having her fingers run through his hair, mocking Kakashi. Perhaps it was because the inner cat in him enjoyed being petted by the right person—as younger Sasuke would roll into a fit of tantrum if you poked his chubby cheeks without his permission. That sure as hell didn't stop Itachi or his mama though, and he was sure, from his snootiness, that that hadn't changed in him either.

"Funny," Sakura snorted, her fingers twirling into Sasuke's dark strands as tense passerbies looked on. "You never seem to say anything when I clobber Naruto on the head."

A couple snickers here and there and Sakura's blank face broke out a toothy grin. Her hand dropped from Sasuke's hair as they exchanged mischievous smirks, waiting for Kakashi's retaliation to his power rejection.

"There are some things you can get away with that I can't," Kakashi said in a hush tone into his microphone, eyes crinkling in amusement. "When you do something I had entertained doing numerous times, I suddenly go blind with frustration so you can't hold me to anything."

The room broke into chuckles and giggles, lightening the mood which set the pace for Kakashi's opening speech.

"Anyway, welcome back to another year—hopefully your last of high school. Kiba, I'm looking at you."

"Hey, not cool, man!"

"I want to welcome you guys back personally, my captains and club leaders. Not only are you leaders of the school because you're my seniors, but you are team captains, club leaders, and unlike the other nameless seniors, you have a voice, a name to a face, a platform." He said lazily, pacing back and forth on stage. "No offense to the other leaderless guys, but students will be more likely to look to you than they will to them. You have more power, in the simplest explanation, you have more power and _I_ look to you to put the students in their place when I or the other teachers aren't there to do so. They look to you as role models. They look at you to define cool—Gai, you should do the same."

Said man laughed.

"Although my colleagues and I are not thrilled to admit this, you know a lot more about what goes on in the halls than we do—drugs, fights, sex in the locker rooms." There was a pause of awkwardness and "did he really say that?" as Kakashi looked onto the room, or so many thought until Sakura shifted and Sasuke stink-eyed her. "But don't mistaken that for absolute freedom, you are still subjected to punishments and consequences like everyone else—detention, suspension—don't think you're free from those—Sasuke, Sasuke, Ino, Kiba."

Said four looked at each other and laughed, even going to the extent of high fiving one another for whatever mischief they've caused in previous years.

"And should you break a rule or participate in an act severe enough for you to be stripped of your leadership role, I vow now that it will be the most embarrassing thing you will ever experience."

Kakashi's threat resonated with many of the captains who warily glanced at one another and whispered amongst themselves. Unsurprisingly, Sakura and Sasuke sat unmoved, staring almost impatiently at Kakashi to continue while his threat came in one ear and out the other. Maybe it was because they were sure they would get away with any heinous act they had in mind—if Sakura was leading whatever prank they had in mind, Itachi was sure she would be clean enough to get away with it or too clean that Kakashi caught on but didn't have enough proof to pin it on her except for that fact that it was so clean. That, or they were friendly enough with their principal that even if they were caught red-handed, he would let them off with a warning.

From the looks of things earlier that morning, it would seem so that it was more the latter than the former.

The bustling of their large body of students echoed through the thick walls and heavy doors clicked open from the two entrances on the side and three in the back to let their student bodies in. There were whispers and quiet chatter amongst the large group of students, first about their own personal lives before switching to gossips about the various captains who sat in the front roles, staring back at them intimidatingly.

Some fixed their skirts and their hair, suddenly self-conscious under the stare of their elitists at school. Little did they know, the captains could care less for the small food stain here and the flyaway hair there and was more interested in their senior friends who walked in last.

Kakashi made a plan to seat the freshmen up front, right behind the seniors to get them a particular close up they may never have again. Besides the usual pep rally, games, and school events, seniors tended to not go out of the way to interact with freshmen. It was rare to see them juniors who weren't a part of their sports team, except for the few that stood out or made a positive impression for one reason or another. Not only would seating fresh blood amongst the alphas of the school give them a good scare to behave and encourage them to attract their captains eyes, it gave them an opportunity to get to know the faces of the captains and understand who to look out for in the hallways.

"Welcome back to a new school year," Kakashi began, eyeing the nervous bunch of hormones who sat in the second row, huddling inward and making them as small as possible. A few stood out confidently, or cockily—either way meaning trouble because the few infamous trouble-makers who sat amongst the seniors once sat small and nervous as well. Kakashi made a mental note to keep an eye on the few. "To some of you, welcome to your first year of high school."

A few nervous claps and awkward cheers came from here and there, not as enthusiastic or loud until Sakura and Kiba joined in to congratulate their accomplishments. If was refreshing to encounter a couple seniors who understood what was expected of their roles as captain, and though it was nothing new from Sakura, it was nice to see her encourage and demonstrate to the other oblivious few. Even if she had to jab Kiba on the side for him to join in.

"Remember when you used to be that tiny?" Sakura whispered, jerking her thumb to the boy sitting behind them to her right.

Sasuke didn't even need to turn to see how small the little freshmen was to know that they were at least half his size. Skinny and muscleless, just a sack of skin, bones, and a little tummy fat.

"Hn." He snorted, smirking to himself. "We don't need reminding of how tiny you were."

"I've grown."

"Hardly."

Sakura sent him a sideways glance, one that told him how lucky he was that Kakashi expected them to set a positive example that she couldn't pinch off a chunk of his thigh in front of the innocent passerbies. Sasuke knew there was a chance she would still do it even with the little kiddies huddling behind them, staring at the back of their heads in awe or their height and cockiness.

"This year we're doing things differently. Instead of giving the usual opening speech, I would like to welcome back former student president to lay down the rules and announce your new student president." Kakashi continued, eyeing Sasuke carefully who simply crossed his arms and slouched in disapproval. "Please welcome last year's president, Neji Hyuuga."

The auditorium erupted in cheers, with a couple of whistles and one very prominent booing from the back of the room. Sakura eyes nearly snapped out of her socket by how far they rolled back, clapping robotically while watching a smirk spread across Sasuke's face.

Naruto's booing promptly subsided with a yelp in pain, probably from a fan girl who clobbered him over the head for booing at the schools very precious and sexy ex-president.

Neji stood unfazed by the reaction, which was nothing new for their usual stoic ex-president. One would expect him to wave and smile at the crowd (group of hormonal girls) who supported him so fiercely, but the Hyuuga was clearly not about that life.

The only reaction he provided, one only Sasuke and Sakura caught at least, was his swift glance in their direction. Sasuke shot up automatically, sitting up straight enough to try to impose some type of dominance and leaning his elbow on the arm rest between him and Sakura, as if he wanted to lean his whole weight on her and shield her from the pervert's view.

Neji scoffed at the reaction, lifting his microphone and patiently waiting for the commotion to die down.

"Good morning," He said huskily, his brows lifting with a slightly shocked expression at the burst in cheers that set back his speech, once again. "It's an honour to be welcomed back so kindly."

"It's like he's trying to get a reaction." Sasuke commented curtly, his patience running low as a headache began to form from the constant screaming of pubescent girls.

"Well, he sure is getting a reaction out of you." Sakura said offhandedly, making a point to ignore the glare he sent at her. "Plus, you know you could probably fart into a microphone up there and get the same reaction. Don't be jealous."

"Konoha high school is built off of integrity and unity. We expect everyone who has been administered to work diligently to not only keep their grades up, but to give back to the community and take part in school events. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Neither is bully. Violation of either will result in an automatic suspension or expulsion."

Despite the obvious dislike Sasuke had towards their ex-president, he had to hand it to the guy for keeping it short and sweet instead of dragging it out like Kakashi or the previous presidents. The last thing he wanted to sit through was the same old speech every year, encouraging students to fundraise and join pep rallies, emphasize on the importance of uniting and standing as a school and establishing a good reputation in the community.

If the new students didn't get the message by the first day, they would get it within the first month as players and event organizers will encourage and, ironically, bully non-participants to participate until they liked it.

"Freshmen and sophomore students are required to join at least one club and sports team, as stated in your acceptance letter handed up at the beginning of May. Junior and senior students, while no longer required, are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities now hosted by your chosen club leaders and captains." The said chosen group at the front cheered and clapped again, this time it could be noted to be less enthusiastically, but all the same enough to satisfy Kakashi. "I enjoyed my four years here because I participate in these extra-curricular activities and events the school has to offer. They allow you to not only meet new people within the school, but also to make a name and reputation for yourself. They teach you teamwork, participation, and how to give back to the community. You, as an individual, represent us as a whole. Each and every one of you determines how people not only see you, but how the community sees us as a school.

"For some of you, you only have one more year to go. For most of you, you have at least two or more years left. Make them worth it because when you leave, you'll miss it."

"I didn't take Hyuuga as a sentimental guy." Kiba said, false sniffing at the pretend snot that dripped down his face from the overbearing emotion he didn't have.

"You can be anything if Kakashi puts you up to it." Sasuke snorted, remember the first time he understand the dangerous threat behind an eye crinkle.

"I second that." Sakura laughed, looking at the poor, innocent Kiba who was too pure and naïve for the world he lived in with Kakashi. The poor baseball captain has yet feel the shiver of fear run down his spine and his bowels desperately trying to empty in the body's preservation of energy for more important functions like keeping your heart from exploding. Poor boy, he was going to learn this year.

"Without further ado, I welcome your new school president, Nara Shikamaru."

Ah, so that was the pineapple's head name. Itachi watched him carefully as he trudge up the side stairs and up onto the stage, prying through his memories for previous encounters he's had with the boy with the ridiculous hair, yet familiar name.

"Yo," He said into the microphone, waving his hand in a lazy greeting that still got a few whooping and hollers.

Itachi wasn't one to judge—at least, not in the way he was about to. Judgement meant profiling his criminals and predicting their movements, attacks, and motives. Here, he was judging the president's slouch, his laziness, his lack of motivation—hair in particular—and wondering why everyone else was so enthusiastic about his position. He, second to Naruto, would be the last person Itachi thought would be voted as president.

Then again, that spoke to how out of the loop he was despite Kakashi's attempt to bring him in. Before, it was easier to guess the dynamic of the school, especially when concerning Sasuke and Sakura as Sakura was his source of information. What it felt like now was similar to how he felt his first year of university, when he accidentally missed frosh week for a mission and everyone seemed to know each other while he was this home-school freak who didn't know how to weave his way in.

It was easier to fit into university was it would be in high school, he was sure. As it was easier to train his mind to see going to post-secondary school and making friends as a simple mission and detach himself from any emotion involvement, which made it easier to act accordingly. The fact that Sasuke and Sakura knew exactly who he was, specifically Sakura, there wasn't a façade he could hide behind or someone he could pretend to be. With that said, he felt out of place for not knowing who Sakura and Sasuke were. Sure, their file could tell him what they liked and dislike, the extra-curricular activity they partook in and their grades, but besides that, why were they so fiercely supportive of this pineapple headed kid?

"I'm Shikamaru, your new president for this coming school year." This Shikamaru continued just as lazily, sticking his hand in his pocket and slouching on absolutely nothing and looked no more excited than he didn't when they cheered. "As it has been all the previous years, the student council and I will work to implement changes and answer student complaints, with reason, of course. And for you freshmen who doubt our power, ask any junior or senior how much healthier and tastier our cafeteria food is compared to what it was two years ago. Ask them why our class breaks are seven minutes instead of the short five.

"We are your voices when the staff cannot hear you. We are your event organizers. You have an idea for a spring break trip? You let us know and we have the ability to make it happen. You think we need more books? We'll work out the finance to make it happen. We are your key to the changes you want to make. A pawn, if you will."

Neji made a face that looked like a mix of pain and "no, Shikamaru, bad choice of wording."

"And by we, I mean, the student council, myself, and the co-president."

Sakura could practically feel Naruto's energy fill up the room, believing with all his little heart that Shikamaru would make a biased choice for the sake of friendship—which was not endangered, by the way, because Naruto could hold a grudge for as long as he could hold his piss—instead of a logical one.

"Such that it is the time for me to announce who we chose as this year's co-president," Shikamaru said, pulling out the envelope tucked in his back pocket with a little bit more oomph than before. Maybe it's because this meant he could distribute half the load of presidency onto this person, if not a little more so he could sneak out the rooftop door and nap. "Some of you have been bugging me with this question since the hour I was announced president last year, so listen up because I'm only going to say this once."

"Twenty bucks says he's only this annoyed because of Naruto." Sakura whispered to Sasuke, suppressing her giggles at the idea of the extent he went to ask and then beg for it to be him. The idea of him climbing the lazy genius' fence and up the side of his house in the wee hours of the night doesn't sound he hadn't had done midway through July. Actually, it would be a surprise if he put it off any later than two weeks into summer vacation. Poor Shikamaru probably woke up in a fit of fear to see a shadow with outrageous bed head looming over him.

"I can hear him whispering for Shikamaru to say his name from all the way over here." Sasuke grunted, glancing over his shoulder to the blond who was squatting on his seat for better projection.

"The person we voted for not only has one of the highest GPAs, but has consistently participated in 90%, if not all of school events, fundraisers, and activity. They are also pretty intimidating so they would double as a bodyguard and put all of you in your place if you misbehave."

"You mean control a crowd." Neji corrected, smirking in a suspicious way that said he had some hand in the decision or at least approved of it.

"They know what I mean," Shikamaru said curtly, tearing the envelope open for the single piece of card paper. "Your co-captain for this year is: Haruno Sakura."

There were very few instances where a surprise was off balancing enough that Sakura didn't know to react. So very few that this numbness was almost like a high to her well-abled body and quick thinking mind. Throw in Uchiha Itachi after she had presumed him dead for five years, she'll drive off in a haste of almost run into the newly painted golden gate. Throw a gun up at her face and she'll break you're a thumb, a couple of fingers, and maybe an arm or two. Announce her as co-president of the school without her knowledge, despite the giveaway of "highest GPA", "school event participant", and "double as a body guard/put people in their place" and she'll sit in her seat with her eyes wide open, looking at Sasuke to make sure she heard right over all the cheering and clapping.

It was when her muscle memory caught up to her mind that she flung herself forward and shuffled her way across the front row, up the stairway on the side, and onto the stage without a second thought. It was very rare instance that Sakura found herself nervous. The rush of adrenaline was nothing new to her lifestyle, so much that the lack of such would throw her immune system off balance. So when she walked onto the stage in front of the thousand or so children watching her every move intently, the clapping cheering, and occasional whistle and whooping of the crowd fell deaf to her ears.

Neji was there to extend a hand and a microphone to her, one of which she ignored with a hug and the other she gladly took.

"Please don't tell me you had something to do with this." She whispered in his ear, pulling away with a knowing smile and an arched brow.

Neji chuckled and shook his head. "I can only make suggestions. It's your current president and student council who makes the final decision."

Nevertheless, Sakura was not convinced and she let her gaze linger a little longer before turning to Shikamaru to give him the same lengthy hug as to not make things obvious amongst the students. Not that there was anything to make obvious. It was more to keep Sasuke and Naruto in their seats and the occasional passerby who eyed them last year when they walked down the hallway together or snuck out of the locker room at bay.

"Congratulations." Shikamaru said, pulling out the official council badge from his pocket. She barely had the chance to say thank you before cheering erupted again, tugging a bashful smile on her face as Shikamaru wrapped the pretty blue band around her left arm with a silver symbol of Konoha's school logo engraved on a small plate on the front.

She made a point to shoot a smile at Naruto, one that said "I told you so" when it came to studying as he could have been where she stood then. Of course, they also meant beating out Sasuke and Shino, but he clearly wasn't going to think of that when he cried tears of betrayal later on.

It took a couple hushing from the teachers to settle the students, one to allow them to continue with the assembly and two, to settle the nerves of the freshmen students who felt overwhelmed by the energy they didn't quite understand. Itachi stood as confused as the freshmen, watching Sakura soak and basked in all the glory she built for herself in his five year absence with a confidence and coolness she didn't have as a struggling twelve year old.

It was different, being a stranger in her life. Not knowing what was going through her mind or her intentions. As far as he knew, the pineapple head on the right was a childhood friend, and the boy on her left was a boy she slept with. Did any of that have a play in her elections? Well, Itachi couldn't tell you because he didn't know the extent of her power and her ability of corruption.

"Hello," She said lowly into the microphone, laughing as another boom of cheers echoed through the auditorium. "Okay guys, quiet down. We don't have all day; there's as a free barbeque happening at lunch today and I don't know about you, but I really, really like free food and barbeque."

One final whoop and the room settle into a quiet hum of whispers. Sakura bit her lip impatiently as she waited for the room to settle into an appropriate volume of quietness before continuing with a speech she was going to form out of her ass.

"So, welcome back. For those who don't know me or didn't catch my name, I am Haruno Sakura." She said evenly, her lips only twitching upwards slightly at the few whoops that came from random seniors in the back who were quickly hushed. "I am also captain of the cheerleading team, if it wasn't obvious by my jacket or cheerleading uniform underneath. Signup sheets are in the foyer and tryouts are this Friday for anyone interested."

She said the last quickly and under her breath, as so to finish before Shikamaru intervened to scowl her for advertising for another club during her acceptance speech. An unapologetic smile crossed her face, and she looked at the crowd with a look of "yikes" which erupted in chuckles and giggles.

"I guess I should tell you about myself. I don't know what to say though." She said accusingly, looking at Shikamaru who only shrugged his shoulders. "Well…I'm 5'3", pink hair, green eyes. I like long walks on the beach, but movie and a dinner is fine too. I'm not too picky—"

"Sakura!"

She paused to look at Kakashi analytically, judging her next move carefully before proceeding with whatever she had up her sleeves. They couldn't really blame her for not having any material. A quick text that morning would've done wonders for this kind of thing. Nevertheless, she could manage this. If she can get out of an surprised ambush attack, an acceptance speech wasn't going to be any trouble.

"In all seriousness, I did not expect to be elected as co-president this year. However the case, I promise to work hard with the president and student council to implement the changes you, as the student body, wish to see. I'm a very hands on and approachable person—"

"You can put your hands on me anytime, girl!"

"—just come up to me if you feel like you aren't being heard and let me know what you want to see change or to just say hi and introduce yourse—nu-uh, you two sit your goddamn asses down."

A call from a random hormonal boy wasn't anything out of the ordinary, yet every single time Sasuke and Naruto took it amongst themselves to make their dominance prominent and their disapproval known. Her slip of words didn't keep the glare she had pointed towards her two best friends off her face, not even when they reluctantly sat down under her gaze as teachers approached to secure them in their seats.

"Sorry." She murmured into the microphone unapologetically, unfazed and unapologetic by her screw-up, even when Shikamaru nearly smacked his head off his neck with a very loud and audible face palm. "If anyone feels traumatized enough by my language, the nurse's office if right beside the guidance councillors if you're in need of any attention. If not, can I continue?"

She pointed looked at Sasuke for an answer, one he gave by crossing his arms and huffing in annoyance with a promise of behaving.

"Good," She growled, turning back to the crowd. The tone of speech making a sharp turn from playful to serious as she had a vice grip on everyone's attention. "I've been here for three years, making this my fourth and final year. I came in as a freshmen, like many of you sitting in the second and third row, and all I have to say is that it only gets hard if you let it get hard. Don't close yourself off from opportunities because they seem scary. You'll regret them later on when you see your friends succeeding because they took the risk that you didn't. Things will feel off for the first couple of weeks, but I promise you that after the first month of settling in to your surroundings, you'll find your place.

"Now, that isn't to say that's where you're going to be your four years, but it's a start. The friends you make first year might not grow to be your best friend by your last year and that's okay. You're growing. You're changing. You're finding out things that you like, and dislike, and sometimes those things are the type of friends you have. My only advice is try new things, even if you suck. The best part of first year and second year as that you're allowed to try out for every team there is, but in third and last, you get three if you're lucky that practices and games don't overlap. I never cheered a day in my life when I joined the cheerleading team my freshmen year, and now look at me, I'm captain of the squad."

Her words brought a calm to the anxious and rowdy students, and Itachi could only begin to understand the extent of Shikamaru's and Neji's words for Sakura having the ability to control a crowd and put people in their place. From gaining their attentions with laughs and then quickly working their attention to her advantage for transitioning her speech into something serious, Sakura was able to hold onto them with a vice grip.

"Our school has a zero tolerance for bullying, and I know what some of you are thinking. Ya, every school says that but do they really do anything about it? I'm telling you we do. Not just the staff, but the students as well. If you feel like you're being picked on, if it's online or at school, come tell one of us. Tell a staff preferably before you tell me. Like I said, I get very hands on if you get my drift." She winked, lightening the mood. "But besides that, just enjoy yourself. Pace yourselves, do your homework, join clubs and teams and seize opportunities to travel that the school lets you. Most importantly, don't doubt yourself. We don't care if your skirt is too long or too short. We don't care if you have ketchup stains on your shirt or if your shoes are run worn out. Some do, because they're assholes, but they have me to deal with—Sasuke."

Kiba threw his head back and laughed, patting at the sulking raven-haired boy on the shoulder who should've expected no less from his best friend. That didn't keep the heat from rising to his cheeks as Naruto's howl echoed through the room, out of anger or embarrassment he couldn't tell.

"I am very honoured to be elected as your co-president. I hope you all have a safe and magnificent year, be it your first, second, third, or last year. And I hope to see many of you in the hallways, sports game, and barbeque today. Thank you." Her speech was supposed to end there, with the roaring of the students and booming claps that sounded like if it were any other poorly built school, the ceiling would come down with the noise. But instead of letting her take her place beside Shikamaru for Kakashi to take the stage once again, Shikamaru handed her a folded envelope and the message that Kakashi wanted her to rely onto the students.

"Am I your co-president, or am I here to do your dirty work?" She teased, taking the envelope anyway and taking her place back onto the center of stage.

"Kakashi's orders." He shrugged smugly, not at all regretting his choice in making her co-president despite her mishaps in the past.

"I guess I'm not done here, so bear with me a little more." Sakura said quickly into the microphone, not like anyone groaned or disapproved of her presence. No, actually, that was a lie. But it wasn't like anyone was in position to openly say so or had the nerve to keep their ground against her unfazed glare and "I'm sorry you feel that way, tell someone who cares." She peeled open the folded envelope elegantly with a smile on her face, unaware of the contents underneath or of the man who climbed onto the side of the stage. A look of horror spread across both Naruto's and Sasuke's face, one she would easily catch if she would just look up. "Konoha high school would like to formally welcome one of the youngest and most talented teachers to our team. Placing at the head of his class in English, Biology, Chemistry, and Math, this individual completed a double major in literature and engineering with a minor in history in just five years. Please, give a warm welcome to Itachi-sensei."

There was a deafness to the clapping again that made her ears ring. Not because she as immune to the clapping or the noise as she had been before, but because there was this seeping anger that radiated from her as she robotically clapped and smiled at the on-coming person. It was obvious what Kakashi had wanted her to do the second the first line registered in her brain. She had to give it to herself for not pausing at the shock that he had the nerve to force her to read it aloud and put her in such a position.

Her face held a blank smile as she looked from Sasuke to Kakashi, one who understood that she knew exactly what was held in that envelope without looking up and the other who knew he would pay dearly for his action in the near future.

"Welcome." She said quickly into the microphone, keeping up her façade of ignorance and excitement as she handed Itachi the microphone with a smile. For the first time since that morning, they shared a lingering glance. Her's was unreadable while she could quickly tell he was seeking something she wasn't willing to give and her fingers quickly unwrapped around the microphone the millisecond she felt him take hold of it. The device would have nearly dropped had Itachi not been so quickly to catch it and she was gone from his side the second he looked up. If their early morning encounter didn't already paint a clear picture of the type of relationship they had, then her quick and public dismissal at his presence while the girls in the audience continued to squeal and whisper definitely was.

Shikamaru eyed his co-president questionably as she stood beside him with a stiff smile on his face. He wasn't president and holding the highest GPA without reason, and he also couldn't remain friends with Sakura for more than a decade if he was as oblivious as some would be against her masked emotions.

"Is that who I think it is?" He whispered, keeping his mouth tight to not draw attention to their conversation.

"That depends, who do you think it is?" She whispered under her breath, tugging at her ponytail just to give her something meaningful to do.

"Well, judging from yours and Sasuke's reaction," He began, peaking over at the boy who had this look of murder and hatred in his eyes that if he didn't know any better and had the willpower of Naruto, he might have jumped onto the stage to strangle the man. "And the similarities in features, I think he's Sasuke's disserting brother."

Sakura smiled a bitter smile. "Nothing gets passed you, does it Mr. President?"

"Is there going to be problem with him?" He asked, watching as Sakura's carefully calculated expression drop into a glare.

"I think the question is, is _he_ going to be a problem?" She looked over him and smiled, the entwined fingers she held in front of her tightening. "The last thing we need to people questioning him and questioning Sasuke. I would really like to get through this last year without any more fights or gossip."

"Then it's settled, we need the rest of the gang to testify to Sasuke's innocence." Shikamaru concluded, glancing at a Sasuke who was staring at them with suspicion at what his two genius friends were up to.

"Right, they're going to dismiss Sasuke's vague answer as him being a cold asshole. If we all unite to say that no, that this near twin of his isn't his brother, it'll be more believable." Sakura agreed, feeling a little more relieved than she had been since the day started.

"Meeting at lunch?"

"Pick a place and I'll make sure everyone gets there."

* * *

 **Who has an Canadian History exam tomorrow that she has just started to study for? Yours Truly. But at least I got another chapter up, right? I can't say the same for my other story, but I promise that my attention will switch back to it soon enough (To all you Scheming with the Devil readers out there).**

 **All comments and criticism are widely accepted and appreciated.**


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